England recorded a 2-1 win over Nigeria, while Germany were surprisingly beaten by Austria by the same score.

Meanwhile, Belgium could well be without one of their key players for the tournament.

Southgate picks attacking line-up

England continued good recent form with a 2-1 win over Nigeria on Saturday and the attacking line-up that Gareth Southgate selected was an interesting side-plot.

Instead of picking another holding midfielder to operate alongside Eric Dier, the Three Lions fielded an extra attacking midfielder.

As such, having Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard and Raheem Sterling all on the pitch and playing behind Harry Kane, made England an ominous-looking opponent.

It remains to be seen whether Southgate would field such a forward-thinking set-up against Belgium or other top teams, but having the extra offensive player could be key in breaking down the likes of Panama and Tunisia.

World Cup holders Germany are one of the favourites to win the tournament in Russia but Joachim Low’s men are not in good pre-competition form.

A 2-1 defeat to Austria on Saturday night means the Mannschaft have not won in their last five outings.

Low fielded an experimental starting XI in the latest clash, with many of the Germany squad’s fringe players getting an outing and opportunity to impress.

Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, who scored in the game, were the only senior figures likely to start when the European giants start their World Cup defence against Mexico on June 17.

But, despite the changes, the German public will be worried at their side’s inconsistency over recent months.

About The Author

I am a freelance football writer from Northern Ireland, who is currently based in Western Australia. I have a degree in Media Studies and a love for the beautiful game. Follow me on Twitter at @90minsonline.